MEANING
To turn a boat or ship onto its side or upside down, or to cause this to happen.
Use it for
describing a boat overturning; showing a wave upsetting a small vessel; distinguishing overturning from sinkingNames accidental overturning, not sinking itself or a temporary sideways roll. Writing functions: Vessel overturning.
Words that belong together
- a boat capsized
- capsize in rough seas
- a wave capsized the dinghy
On the page
The canoe capsized when both passengers leaned toward the same side.
A breaking wave capsized the dinghy near the inlet.
Word forms
- Base
- capsize
- Past tense
- capsized
- Past participle
- capsized
- Present participle
- capsizing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- capsize
- Present continuous
- am/is/are capsizing
- Present perfect
- have/has capsized
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been capsizing
- Past
- capsized
- Past continuous
- was/were capsizing
- Past perfect
- had capsized
- Past perfect continuous
- had been capsizing
- Future
- will capsize
- Future continuous
- will be capsizing
- Future perfect
- will have capsized
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been capsizing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Intransitive or transitive: capsize, capsizes, capsized, capsizing; will capsize. A boat capsizes; a wave can capsize a boat. Register: neutral. Commonness: moderately common (dictionary-informed qualitative editorial estimate; not a measured frequency).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.